The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-30
THE GREAT AUK'S BONES.
THIS EXTINCT BIRDS REMAINS
FOUND ON FUNK'S ISLAND.
Undeveloped Mineral and Agricultu-
raj Wealth Of Newfoundland-Su
fering and Starvation Among the
From the Boston Globe.

fering ana SJarVaClOn among the
Fishermen.
From the Boston Globe.
U. S. FISH COMMISSION SCHOONER, MIN
GAN. Lab, Aug. 22.-On the afternoon of
July II the Grampus came to anchor in St.
Johns harbor. Newfoundland. The day be-
ing Sunday and unusually warm every
available boat was filed with pleasure seek
ing humanity. Long before coming to an
Choir we were surrounded. Seemingly every
kind of boat in Newfoundland was in the
harbor We attracted as much attention as
either the Puritan or Mayfower would in
some New England port for the first time
Shipping apparently was good, as every
wharf and greater part of the harbor
were studded with ships and schooners; but
we afterwards learned that such was not
the case; the ships were being hauled up or
waiting for freight. Fishing is not pros
perous, and the outlook for the future is
ANYTHING but cheering. Many of the old
fishermen gravely shake their heads, in
Doubt as to how they will manage to strug-
gle through the coming winter The
thought of past hardships seems to throw a
gloom over them.
Newfoundland contains enough wealth to
amply provide for all her people instead of
them being forced away for want of work.
Her hills contain copper enough to set
double the population she now has at work /;
her valleys lie waiting for the first furrow
to be plowed; streams and lakes for the first
man to turn them from their natural course.
The valleys could be transformed into fer
tile farms and happy homes: the streams
and rivers could be made serviceable to
man, in hundred different ways Hardly
a steamer sails from this port for the United
States without being crowded with emf
grants; between 5000 and 1000 have left
this year, most of them seeking homes in
the West.
The majority of the people have been
very kindly disposed towards Americans
and American vessels. We were treated
tention being shown us. We had free use
of private ponds, well stocked with trout,
and were permitted to roam at large over
fields for the purpose of collecting species
of birds. Among the many visitors re-
ceived on board were Mr.. Maloy, the Amer
lean Consul, Judge Prowse and Rev. Mr.
Harvey and family, the last named gentle
man being an old resident and an author of
much note. Observation-Disclosures Oldest
British Colony" Lectures, Literary and
Biographical" ETC., are some of his chief
works.
Thursday, July 81, at 10 a. M, we filled
away from our anchorage, bound for Funk
Island to search for bones of the great aux
Many stories were told about the difficulty
of landing, digging, etc. But we were well
prepared
ToMEET ANY EMERGENCY
that should arise. The day was pleasant,
and quite warm for this locality We
passed very pleasant afternoon watching
the mountainous scenery, unique fishing
boats with their dark red sails, and the
many small settlements that dotted the
coast We passed Conception and Trinity
bays, the home of the seal in spring. These
bays abound with fish and game of all kinds
such as are found in Northern ATTITUDES.
At s o'clock in the evening Cape Bona
vista bore abeam
As we rounded the cape beautiful sight
met our gaze; two mammoth icebergs
loomed up directly in our course. As we
drew near them they increased in grandeur
and beauty, assuming different forms,
caused by our changed position and the pale
light which shone from the western sky
Looked at through an opera-glass these
colossal masses of ice had the appearance of
marble, standing in silent awe, as if guard
ing a nations dead, and saying to all in
truders: "Begone, or we will crush you
out of existencep
One showed evidence of having recently
turned over, as its huge perpendicular side
was covered with mud and small rocks To
us it was grand sight and one long to be
remembered
We were now crossing Bonavista BAY,
and by morning expected to be in sight of
the "FunkS" The locality of this noted
island was given in previous letter.
In Bonavista bay the glacial period must
have held universal sway for ages. The
islands in this bay show evidence of having
been connected with the main island, but
when the ice came it uprooted the coast,
tore off high hills, formed channels, BAYS
and creeks wherever dry land was, grind
ing, securing and sweeping everything be-
fore it in it's destructive journey south.
The following morning, as was expected,
we were IN sight of the once favorite home
OF the great aux. At noon we landed, and
immediately set to work digging for the
bones of this extinct bird. An excellent
place for landing was found on the north
east side of the island; the sea at all the
ports was in constant commotion-al-
though the water was remarkably smooth
short distance from the shore-which
made it very dangerous for boat even to
approach. But we met with no difficulty
and landed all of our gear without injury or
getting it wet. Nature must have taken
thrown up, to form a landing place for
inture travellers, for we found against the
nearly
PERPENDICULAR WALL OF GRANITE,
200 feet long and so feet high, shelf about
ieet wide, to which, even if the sea was
quite rough, landing could be made.
-, A lively scramble up the cliffs and over
the rocks brought us to the western part of
the Island, where the great aux bones were
supposed to lay After five minutes of easy
ulgglng all our expectations were realized,
as thousands of the aux bones lay bare to
our view. Those birds must have existed
mere in incredible numbers, or they would
nave been exterminated long before they
were We encountered no such hard dig
glng as was spoken of, the soil being about
~ inches deep, on an average, and very soft
WI nile digging we were constantly annoy
ed by the birds on the island, of which there
are thousands, Arctic turns, puffins, munes,
ana razor-billed auks breeding here in great
numbers. Occasionally one more daring
thsn his companions would swoop down and
sIrlKe our hats, or startle us from our busy
Employment by screaming in our ears, trying
" ulVe us away from their long-possessed
H0ino. Finding that we would not be driven
oll' they finally gave. up the war cry and
resumed their duties of housekeeping, catch
Inlg and preparing food for the little ones.
t put occasionally we would trespass on for
ulpuen ground or dig too close to nest,
Nneh perfect pandemonium would be kept
up until we were forced to retreat After
procuring all the aux bones required we
turned our attention to prospecting the